The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-08-11
K. 2. Concert to night. 25c.
Preaching Prohibition.

ICdOAIE2 L IOulClbIOtt
Mr. EDrroR:-Will you allow M
a chance to preach q little through
your paper? AS the preachers ar,
all preaching os prohibition
thought ! would try and preach :
little. Nov, | have made some
mad because / said | was going tt
preach on prohibition, for some mer
Will fall out with any body, any
thing or any cause if the ministers
and preachers oaly speak in favor
of it. | do not address YOU as q
minister OF the gospe,, and am not
going to take my text cut of the
bible, but out Of the laws passed by
the last general assembly and it is
simply this, "To prohibit the n an
ufactCre and sale OF all Intoxicating
liquors as a beverage In Tennessee. .
Go not blame tie preachers for
preaching about this subject as
most of you will agree that intoxi-
eating liquors ale directly in the
way of the church in this country
and are in the way of the mission
airy work in heather lands. What
do you think Of missionary board
ing a vessel for China and on this
same vessel one handred gallons Of
whisky going to the same people?
SO you see the preachers are trying
to get the thing shat bars their sd
vance out Of the way and yen blame
them for it. Well | will nov try
and get some of the objections that
are offered to the amendment ont of
the way aud then talk Of the good
properties it possesses in other
statea. LIST. 'i5 is good enough the
way it isl Well, do you think that
to send 10000 men down to drunk
ards grave annually, besides the
tax on the people for the excess Of
the cost OF prosecuting criminals
for crimes committed while intoxi-
Gated, over the revenues derived
from. the liquors, and add to this
tho poverty misery, hunger and
starvation Of the wives and chill
dren of the 10000 men, does seem |
bad indeed instead Of good as you
said in pour objection.
"Weli, ii il is bad i.ow i would |
not make ii any better to change |
things, as prohibition is no good at |
all" How do you or | know who |
have not tried it and know nothing
but theory? We have heard that
prohibition is a good thing and also
heard that it is bad thing. How
bheQ can We decide this matter? 7 |
am willing TO leave 1t with people
Who have tried it and have tested
it. Is that not fair? Well, the PEG
pie Of Maine have tried it thirty
years. At first it barely passed e: 20
they were in doubts as to it's good
qualities. Now after testing it
over thirty years, they by over a
two thirds vote say by voting for it
that it is q good thing and you say
it is not. Do you have a better
right to know than they who have
tried it over thirty years9 Have
You?
It will increase taxes and capse
a decrease in The value of pro, erty.
How do you know? Does it look
sensible that if it does as you say,
that the people Of Maine, after thir-
ty years trial, woald not have re-
pealed the law? | do not quote
from Dow, neither DO ! want to hear
any assertion from Sparks, but APP
peal to your reasoning power. II it
does as you say Why do not the peo-
pie in Maine, Kansas and Iowa re,
peal the law? l ask why?
i was in favor of prohibition
until the preachers went to preach
ing about it but now / shall vote
against it," All! did you know that
the State Temperance Alliance was
at the head of this issue and the
preachers only favor the movement?
/ ask, is it right to fall ont with
because some oae YOU
don't like is in favor of it? Did you
get mad because some preachers
voted for Cleveland? Did you vote
against Blaine because some preach
ers we're for him? If you must
fall out with the church or with
prohibition because the church or
some Of It's members and preachers
are in favor OF it, l say fall out
with the church, for prohibition is
not responsible for the actions Of
the church. If you are not q church
member and think the church is
not good enough for you because
it advocates something you GO not
like ! would stay out of it, and if
you are church member and do
not like for the preachers TO bring
prohibition in the church, then do
not fall out with prohibition. If
yon do not think the church is
right then do not lay the blame on
something else.
The prohibitionists should not
do all the speaking" Well, bring
out your man if you have any tai
cnt on your side. | heard that q
dIstiller in the southwestern por-
ton OF the county is going to give
a barbecue and viii probably have
free whisky. Now, if you want to
see your side Of the question in full
blast find out the time and go down
and be enlighted
Il don't believe it is right"
What is right? To tax the people
to make up for the excess of prose
cution over the revenues? Well, l
don't either. Il don't want to help
kill the poor drunkards who can
not live without whisky" l don't
think this is an objection at all. Il
pray over this matter" Yes, you
do pray for light on this subject
and the next day ride five miles to
hear divine inspiration from a
preacher who curses the oxen at
home and carries a bottle of whis-
ky in his saddle pockets when he
goes to preach. That is divine in
forie |